Absolute Zero
by BeanCorn
Summary: After spending two years in a blocky version of the Earth, Benjamin Alvarez is called upon to serve as the Gandalfr of old - a master of weapons and warfare. Drawn into the politics of Halkeginia, it will take all of Ben's cunning and willpower to survive the coming storm.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello fans and/or writers alike! I am coming to FanFiction with a brand new story.**

**Now some of you might be wondering why I am not adding another chapter to Zero in the Mojave, or Hail to the Zero Queen. The answer is due to my long absence my writing ability has faltered, and I am currently unable to bring forth new content with the level of quality I demand. Zero in the Mojave is especially difficult for me.**

**Admittedly, college has been quite stressful on me and my writing faculties have been hard-pressed to keep up with weekly essays and assignments. Now that those classes have ended (I am enrolled in new classes, but I digress) I'm prepared to return full-time to FanFiction. After getting my new custom PC I have been racking up an enormous amount of hours in games such as Warframe, and Minecraft (my old laptop was too weak in the CPU department to enjoy it).**

**That being said, I feel its time to start again and build another franchise while I prepare to continue my current stories.**

**Behold, my Minecraft and Familiar of Zero crossover, Absolute Zero =)**

* * *

**The Overworld**

**Day 683**

Benjamin Alvarez opened his eyes as freezing rain slammed against his bedroom's windows. He groaned before sitting up and looking out into the near-blizzard outside.

* * *

It had been nearly 2 years since his arrival into this strange land, a land of made of exact one square meter blocks. He had emerged with nothing but the clothes on his back – little more than a pair of jeans and a t-shirt – and been immediately forced onto the defensive. While the daylight was relatively safe it was the dusk and following night that proved all preconceptions of this world wrong. The denizens of the night were a terrifying wake-up call, and Ben had spent nearly three days running before winding up in a natural orchard with a small cottage.

It was the first sign of civilization he had seen, and its contents only proved just how alone he truly was. Several journals of the cottage's previous inhabitant – along with his body – were littered across the floor, all of which told about the mysterious land Benjamin had landed in.

It was a place called the 'Overworld' a kind of alternate dimension where monsters and the ruins of man could be found. The journals also revealed the man to be of British descent who had disappeared from the Isle of Man in the 1870's.

Finally, the books explained how to survive in the Overworld – the art of crafting. Benjamin was never good with his building things, but he quickly adapted and was able to recover from nearly three days without food and water.

After a few weeks, he was confident in his ability to move on from the cottage and its surrounding orchard. Both tools and armor had been forged, and along with a considerable food supply Benjamin set out towards the mountains. One of the books had spoken with great detail about how rarer materials – particularly gold and precious gemstones – allowed for even greater potential improvements to his own life.

Before he left however, he properly buried the man, one Sir Alfred Kingsby in an unmarked grave underneath a nearby tree.

* * *

Barely out of high school, Ben was in the prime of his life. Both a scientific prodigy and fantastic physical conditioning gave him the intellect of a Nobel Laureate and the physique of an Olympian. He had far less difficulty adjusting to the extreme workloads that came with heavy mining and fighting off both the undead and the abominations that lurked beneath the ground.

After nearly a month of underground work and labor, Ben made the decision to settle in a valley between a massive scorching hot crag to the west and south, a bitterly cold snow covered mountain towards the east, and a tropical ocean to the north. The unusual locale created wild weather patterns and sudden wind shears capable of sending a man flying to his death. This made the cultivation of crops nearly impossible anywhere except at the bottom of the valley, but served to isolate him from the hordes of enemies who drowned, were frozen solid , or fell to their deaths attempting to reach him.

His daily routine involved milking his three cows, shearing sheep and tending to his fields of wheat, potatoes, carrots and even a small cotton plantation. After performing his agricultural work, he withdrew inside the crag towards the true heart of his endeavors – a massive, underground industrial installation.

His superb intellect and strength allowed him to both plan, dig out, and create a 40+ story facility with over ten square kilometers of useable space. Most of it had been filled with a massive cold fusion reactor, which drove eight turbines the size of airliners. That reactor was supplemented by additional fuel sources, including steam boilers and conventional generators powered by highly refined petroleum.

The site had an entire wing filled with Ben's exploration of the occult, paranormal activities and magic. Tremendous achievements made in the field of Eldritch Science had aided Ben in finding new realms to explore and mine for resources.

* * *

**Halkeginia – Tristain Academy of Magic**

"The Zero still has to summon her familiar Professor!"

Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere groaned in exasperation as she walked up to the summoning circle, all the while being heckled by her classmates/tormenters.

"By Brimir Louise! You'll kill anything that you summon!"

"Yeah, like she could even manage that."

Laughter only proved to enrage the diminutive magic student, causing veins to pop out, followed by a instantly visible, twitching wand. The sudden appearance of the instrument that was renowned to cause more damage to Tristain than her adversaries managed to silence all as she began to ritual.

* * *

Benjamin looked out his homestead's window and sighed, "It looks like we won't be getting much done outside. May as well head into the base and start today's work."

_"My familiar, who lives somewhere in the universe!"_

The sip of water he had begun to take flew out of his mouth as he jumped to his feet. Lessons about 'familiars' were mentioned in passing by the journal of the Englishman, and that it involved a portal to an unknown land. He knew nothing more than that, as neither he nor the Englishman had ever attempted to walk through such a portal.

Ben realized this may have been the opprutunity he had been waiting for, a chance to return home and began to pull out his bug-out kit from cyberspace. In a matter of moments, he was covered head to toe in a suit of custom powered armor. Arrayed in his inventory included a blade strong enough to cut through stone, a multi-use tool capable of nearly everything imaginable, a magnificent longbow made from equally magnificent material and bags full of usable items for currency.

After securing his items on his person, he remotely activated the complex's automatic shutdown functionality that effectively froze the base in time. Reactors powered down, machines shut off, and the massive digital storage network that ferried items across the facility went dark.

"Well, this is it. I'm finally going to go home-."

_"My strong, sacred, and beautiful familiar. Heed my call and appear!"_

In less than a second, Benjamin Alvarez was pulled from the Overworld, destination unknown.

* * *

A blast of soot and ash knocked down all within Vestry Court as Louise finished her incantation. As ears rang, an unnatural buzzing sound emerged as the ash cloud suddenly vanished. Louise's eyes widened as she saw what appeared to be a man-sized golem standing with a clawed object in its right hand. Her face paled as she saw the heavily adorned magic staff in the being's left hand.

_'Did . . . did I summon a mage?!'_

Professor Jean Colbert, as a combat veteran and skilled mage was instantly on guard after the cloud's disappearance. The golem, or man in the center of the summoning circle was clearly well-armored and equipped, given the quality of both the staff and jet black sword at the subject's hip.

Benjamin on the other hand was confused, yet relieved when he saw the non-blocky people all around him.

_'Am I really home?_' He examined his arms and staff, all of which were no longer shaped like square blocks but various other shapes. What was strangest of all was the people's dress around him, they were wearing two distinct uniform types, a white blouse for both genders, but a skirt for the ladies and dark slacks for the men.

He froze when he saw that each of them carried a wand in their hands, while both an older man and extremely petite girl both wielded a staff that was particularly bare.

_'Hell, their wands and staves appear dull and boring compared to my own. My old wooden wand with iron caps was more flashy than those chopsticks.'_ The realization he had definitely not returned to Earth hit full force, _'Magic doesn't exist on Earth!'_

Laughter immediately emerged as the chesty red-head made a comment – obviously rude – towards a ridiculously petite pinkette who flushed before screaming back at the crowd. _'So, that's my summoner. They all seem to be speaking French, I wonder if English is spoken here.'_

Benjamin waved before speaking up, "Hello, my name is Benjamin. Can someone tell me where I am?"

Xxx

The previously arguing aristocrats stopped talking as the 'golem' spoke up.

"Ha! So the Zero did manage to summon a commoner after all!"

The 'golem' held up a hand, "Commoner? What in the Nine Hells are you talking about here?"

Laughter emerged causing said golem to facepalm before channeling energy through the exotic staff in hand, launching a gout of fire into the air.

Xxx

"Now, do I have your attention?" Several nervous nods answered while the staff wielders took combat stances, "My armor is rated to absorb magical attacks, I would recommend against doing something foolish."

A random no-name character perked up, "What is this madness? Are you a noble?!"

Nervous chatter emerged throughout the group only to be cut off by a staff tapping the ground twice, "That is enough!" The bald man looked to Benjamin, "Sir, I don't believe we have treated you with the respect fitting of your station."

An open handed palm proved to relax those surrounding the 'golem,' now clearly identified as a human being, "That is fine mister. My name is Benjamin Alvarez, and I have quite a few questions for those in charge here."

The bald man nodded, "We should go speak with the Headmaster then." He turned to the pinkette, "Miss Valliere, please come with me as well, as this concerns you as well."

The already pale student shrunk further before nodding.

* * *

After three minutes of climbing stairs – an activity nearly unnecessary after utilizing elevators powered by Ender Pearls – the two mages and their summon walked into the office of Headmaster Osmond.

'Old Osmond' as his detractors (and friends) called him had led the Tristain Academy of Magic for nearly four decades. The nearly ninety year old Osmond was one of the most respected members of the Tristainian aristocracy, surprising given he had dedicated his life to education rather than politics.

The man was nearly untouchable in battle, even as he reached the end of his life. As a Square-class wind mage, Osmond was one of the most powerful casters in Halkeginia, matched only by the Duchess of Valliere, the legendary 'Heavy Wind.'

When Osmond saw the armored man walk into his office he knew it would be wise to tread carefully.

"Welcome sir, I am Headmaster Osmond of Tristain's Magic Academy. Please take a seat."

The man responded in fluent, yet clearly accented Albionian, "I am Benjamin Alvarez. Thank you for your hospitality Headmaster."

"Would you like some tea?"

A nod, "That would be lovely Headmaster."

Osmond glanced at his assistant Miss Longueville, who made her way to the kettle on her desk, "I don't want to alarm you Sir Alvarez, but you are currently in the Kingdom of Tristain-."

A sudden smile and nod cut him off, "It's quite alright Headmaster, I was trapped in an alternate dimension for some time now and heard of the possibility of being summoned back to the real world. Although this isn't the same world I was born in."

Osmond's full attention went towards Ben, "You're from another world?"

Awe and disbelief filled Colbert and Louise respectively as the man nodded, "Indeed Headmaster. Miss . . . Valliere was it?" A nod, "Miss Valliere summoned me from an alternate dimension where the rules of reality were somewhat skewed. I lived in that reality for nearly two years on my own, needless to say I've seen quite a bit."

Looks of curiosity bade him to say more, "For one, on my home world, magic doesn't exist."

Benjamin swore he could hear a record scratch as the four individuals around him froze in place, "Impossible!"

A facepalm later, the visitor from another world knew he was in for a long afternoon.

* * *

Nearly three hours later, Benjamin stepped out of the tower more than a little weary. He had gone into detail about his own world of Earth, and the strange, pixel-shaped land of the Overworld, and came out of it realizing he had gained nothing but displeasure.

_'The people are ruled by a mageocracy that by its very design destroys free thought and ingenuity. This culture has existed for over six thousand years, meaning that any attempt at change is curbed, and done so violently. The Church possesses nearly godlike power and can intervene in the affairs of sovereign nations on a whim. What the fuck did I get myself into?'_

**-Flashback-**

_"First lesson about the land I come from Headmaster, anything is possible, although it can be extremely difficult. The humans of Earth are capable of creating artificial life, building artificial organs to replace failing ones, and even able to preserve a human body for revival for extended periods. All of this is done without magic, as Earth's population has managed to do so for millennia."_

_While Louise was still frozen in shock, Osmond and Colbert both looked at one another – a considerable amount of interest in the latter's eyes. "Is there anything the humans of your world can't do?"_

_A chuckle, "We can't live forever, although that doesn't stop people from trying. What's the average life expectancy here in Tristain?"_

_Osmond answered, "Around 55-60 for commoners, 65-75 for members of the nobility."_

_"In my home country, the average life expectancy for the typical man is about 85. Mind you, that's an average in a well developed part of the world, but many live into their 90's and even past 100-. "_

_Louise interrupted any further response from Benjamin, "I'd like to know how you're able to use magic! You don't dress like a noble-."_

_"And I am getting to that Louise, be patient." He cleared his throat, "I am able to use magic because two years ago, a mysterious portal opened up and took me into an alternate dimension." The silence allowed him to continue, "This dimension's own rules of reality were vastly different than those on Earth. Climates were unusually located, with deserts being surrounded by tundra for example. While many animals found on Earth could be located there, many others thought to be legends were as well._

_"The undead roamed the hills at night, the sun able to incinerate them in moments. Massive insects prowled dark forests and underground caverns, seeking out a potential meal. There were even creatures I began to call Creepers, who would wander to the surface during the night, and roam about, even during the day for a target. When they would reach said target, they would explode violently, killing the target and allowing its body to feed the spores it released._

_"The strangest of all were the Endermen, a race of three meter tall giants capable of teleportation and devastating attacks. They are mostly passive, and rarely attack, but when provoked will chase down a target for hours."_

_As he finished, he noticed that all in the room were paying complete attention to him. "I barely survived my first few days there, and if I hadn't found an old abandoned cottage I would've died long ago. Inside was the remains of a knight, long since dead. His journals, which I still carry to this day gave me the insight I needed to survive." He turned to Louise, "The answer to how I can use magic is quite simply Louise, I'm self-taught, almost completely by accident I might add."_

**-Flashback End-**

He had later told them he wasn't a noblemen at all, even if he could use magic. That led to the question of him being a disgraced noble, which he also denied. In the end, the Headmaster did approve of the 'bonding' as familiar and 'master.' A fact which I strongly spoke out against once learning there was a mental compulsion factor that was included in a familiar's 'bond.'

As a Thaumaturge, Ben had delved into using constructs for menial tasks – specifically golems. The constructs, little more than tiny human beings with no sense of direction of their own were little more than laborers. Even then, golems could only handle a few, repetitive tasks. The idea of enslaving a sentient being though was one he would never even consider, let alone attempt.

While different from his current situation, the Headmaster believed that the binding should continue anyways. That was the reason Benjamin was running like hell as he desperately dug through his bags, hoping to find the Linkbook home.

As he quickly jump-jetted to a rooftop and dropped low to avoid detection, he found his portal back home, along with an unlinked book ready for use. He quickly opened it, locked his astral position into the book's magical pages, and stowed it.

"There he is!"

After he saw several levitating mages point their wands at him, Ben pulled his Multi-Tool out, he activated his 'Blink Drive' and teleported to the top of the Wind Tower. He dove off the side of the structure towards the ground, where his impact dug a small crater.

As he stood up, a massive impact threw him to the ground, as his shields strained to compensate. A huge weight fell on top of him, pinning him to the ground. He shakily grabbed his wand before pointing it upwards, "Uprising!"

The massive blast of air magic blew the dragon and its rider clear off of him as Ben flew through the air. His excitement at being freed was quickly replaced with horror as the young dragon's tail lashed at him, sending him flying back to the ground. His shields flatlined as their emitters overloaded, followed by the sound of ribs cracking.

He spat a glob of blood from his mouth onto his faceplate as he realized he was unable to move, and unconsciousness soon followed.

* * *

**A short chapter to get us started! Get those reviews sent out readers! I wanna hear your input on this! Good night!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hail return guests and subscribers! After our last chapter we saw our hero fall unconscious, after being injured by Sylphid. Before we begin the new chapter, I will answer the reviews given to us by the readers.**

**FireM: That's good to hear, but I was hoping for a bit more detail =) Maybe this chapter will aid in that.**

**Golden Steel: I'll admit, my character IS overpowered, but I can't see that being a cause of making the story bad. Admittedly, Mary/Gary Stu's can be incredibly bad for fan fiction, but I've done a lot of balanced characters in the past and felt a little excitement was due. To respond to your point on a lack of connection between the franchises….**

**Who ever said there wasn't? ;)**

**DavyCrocket: Nice and simple. Thank you for your support.**

**TimberlineWolf: I thank you for your continued readership =) stay tuned!**

**Guest: Thank you**

**Guest: That is the society of Halkeginia for you, but why Osmond made the decision he did will be revealed in due time.**

**GrimKid: Louise is a loli filled with angst, and insecurity, all while loaded with an anger management problem. I think that's the worst kind of boss one can have.**

**Lord Arthas: *Kerrigan walks up to reviewer, "_You should know your place reviewer, the Queen of Blades does not take orders from a simple Terran. I will return when I am ready, and when I do, you shall review the chapter by BeanCorn."*_ Obviously I'm joking around here, but fear not! Kerrigan will return soon!**

**Play!**

* * *

Ben felt the world slowly return to him as he heard birds chirping, along with voices in the distance.

_'Where am I?'_

The sensation of something touching his bare hand caused him to freeze. He carefully opened his eyes to find the same pinkette from earlier sleeping on the side of his bed. Taking a glance around the room he noticed the same stone construction found on the court's ramparts.

The smell of cleanliness instantly made everything make sense, _'I must be in some sort of clinic or infirmary_.' With his free arm – the other being laid on by Louise he carefully poked and prodded his body. He noticed some soreness, but not the screaming pain he had earlier. _'Someone must have healed me or used a potion. No way I could recover that fast otherwise.'_

"Munya~," Ben froze again as Louise fidgeted and talked in her sleep. "Stupid familiar, blehh."

The sensation of drool made him wince, '_Gross. Wait, did she say familiar?!_' As if cued, his eyes were drawn to his left hand and instantly saw the ancient letters burned into his skin.

_'No . . . oh God no. I'm a slave to some prissy brat with developmental problems!'_

Louise's head rose at the same time, and her eyes narrowed, "Familiar-!" Before letting the girl have another word, Ben reached forward, and pulled the Lolita into a chokehold. He covered her mouth as his arm's grip tightened around her throat. After fifteen seconds of struggling, Louise's legs gave out as she slipped out of consciousness.

Ben wiped the sweat from his brow as he slid her into his place in the bed. He checked for a pulse to ensure the young woman was still alive, and was relieved to see she had both a pulse and was slowly breathing.

He may have been enslaved by the little twat but he had no intention of murdering someone if he could help it.

_**'What are you doing to Master?'**_

He looked from side to side, and figured he must have been hearing things. A careful glance out past the privacy curtains only showed an aged woman working at a desk. He snuck up behind the doctor and managed to make it to the door on the other side of the room. Praying to whatever deity was present, he slowly turned to knob and silently made his way out.

The Earthborn was unsure if he could close the door silently and decided to leave it slightly ajar as he made his way down a flight of stone stairs. As he did so, he pulled out a vial of bluish liquid from a small, hidden pocket and downed it in a single second. A warm, bubbling sensation filled his body as the potion turned him nearly invisible to the human eye. No longer needing the potion bottle, he set it down at the bottom of the stairs in a corner before making his way into Vestry Square. The once empty area had been filled with opulent mahogany chairs and tables who held a number of students and their own familiars.

_'Animals can usually see through the invisibility potions, even a zombie could on a clear day. Best keep my distance from the familiars.'_

As he slowly made his way towards the central tower he froze in place as he saw the bald man begin to gesticulate wildly towards the green-haired secretary. Based on how excited he seemed, Ben could infer that his armor and weaponry was unlike any they had ever seen.

It was the sight of is Ichorium Wand being waved around with reckless abandon that made him go wide-eyed. The wand itself was little more than a bank of primal energy, but with a focus it became a deadly instrument.

_'That's the Primal Focus_.' He resisted the urge to facepalm, _'This won't end well.'_

The Primal Wand Focus was the most dangerous magical tool at his disposal (it actually beat out the incredibly toxic and infectious taint that could turn living creatures into abominations of magic and nature) due to the simple fact it was so _unpredictable_. After creating the infernal contraption he naturally had to test it out.

By the end of the day, he had created three brand new aura nodes, a three-headed sheep, a pocket of deadly neutron radiation, and a localized taint infection that very nearly destroyed his farms. That didn't even count all of the craters from the foci's projectiles that would fly off in random directions, exploding on impact.

And now a clueless academic was whipping around the most dangerous magical device ever created.

As if called upon to cause trouble, the wand released a bolt of primal energy, which corkscrewed around the courtyard before impacting in the center, blasting dirt and rock out of the ground like a geyser. The normally well-disciplined mage dropped the wand in shock, causing another bolt to fire off, which very nearly impacted two blondes in the middle of tea.

The quick thinking of the young man had him throwing the table town between them and the projectile. The magical blast came back towards them before detonating mere feet from them.

Both mages were blasted across the court before falling onto two separate tables, their familiars (an oversized mole and frog) landing on their own masters.

"Someone call the doctor!"

_'Oh_ _hell_.' Blindly trusting his own instincts, Ben made his way towards a small house on the other side of the courtyard.

* * *

The sudden explosions proved to wake up the pinkette from her chokehold-induced slumber.

"FAMILIAR!"

* * *

Ben turned at the sound of Louise's voice and paled, _'Great, she's awake._' Forgetting all concepts of stealth, he broke out in a sprint and launched himself at the door with a drop kick. The old rusted lock, worn from years of neglect and overuse snapped clean off, allowing him to slide inside.

He glanced over to his armor, which had been partially disassembled (and visibly damaged) and quickly put on his boots and leg plating. One look at his chest piece caused him to sigh in frustration. The suit itself had been cut off of him, based on the heat burns on the side of the chest piece, and several panels and components were shattered beyond repair. Even the diamond alloy armor he added as a fallback was left as a set of spiderweb cracks across its surface.

His helmet, while damaged was still operable. He slid it on and cursed as he saw two dark nodes forming in the craters left by the Primal Focus. The images of Wisps being formed forced him back to reality as he quickly scooped up everything he could from the work table. Most of what was laid out was replaceable, ingots and gemstones could be mined from another locale, while various parts and machinery could be rebuilt outright.

What he couldn't afford to be without was the Linkbook home and back. He secured what bags remained intact, along with any hazardous items (such as his staff and Power Tool) on his person before sliding a shock foci onto the aged wooden staff.

He had been unable to find the Linkbooks however, but before looking any further a gasp forced him to turn around. A young maid looked inside and started to stammer.

He groaned, _'Looks like the potion wore off.'_

Ben raised his hand in a peaceful gesture but only served to make her faint. Quickly rushing forward, he caught her in his arms and laid her down on the workshop's floor.

A sense of dread came into his psyche as he realized the taint had emerged, _'If the taint is growing here I will need to stop it at once. I don't think these people have the means to stop it like I can.'_ HE dug through his purple bag and instantly grinned as a set of eight magical flowers appeared.

_'Perfect_.'

* * *

Louise, beet-red with fury marched out of the infirmary and instantly saw a field of chaos. She saw Montmorency and Guiche being tended to by a pair of third year water mages, while glowing orbs of colorful light flew around the courtyard, launching bolts of energy at a group of students.

"What in the Founder-?"

An unholy sound –a combination of a hissing cat and a rumbling stomach – came from her right, causing her to freeze in place. She slowly turned her head and paled at the sight of an abomination of nature. It appeared to be a cat, or at least used to be. Its fur had a number of mismatched colored patches, and a number of rotting pieces with bones visible. A dark, purple ichor substance dripped off of its exposed jaw as it hissed and pounced.

At least it would have, if a gleaming arrow hadn't dug into its back and nailed it to the stone wall behind her. Her eyes wandered towards the direction of the arrow's origin and immediately became both furious and shocked at what she saw.

Her familiar had a large, bow made from a dark metallic wood, with a glowing bowstring in hand. His chest piece that he had worn the first time wasn't present, but that was hardly surprising considering how two of her professors had been forced to cut it off of him with magic to treat his injuries.

She became curious when he strapped the bow onto his back and grabbed a set of glowing blue flowers in his hand. He suddenly sprinted across the field, lashing out with a vicious punch at another corrupted creature – a basilisk by the looks of it – with the clawed tool, sending the twisted being into the ground hard enough to kick up the soil beneath.

A blast of heat distracted her as she saw the now dead cat ignite into flames.

* * *

Benjamin Alvarez felt like a god.

The arrow he had launched at the tainted cat was never supposed to have the power to actually impale actual living beings to walls.

The punch delivered by his Power Tool was several magnitudes stronger than what the device was meant to project. The impact against the creature's skull had damaged the device, and its own power source had failed from the sudden impact. His power armor's only remaining power source was coming from the back-up batteries in his boots and helm – and both were quickly discharging as he sprinted.

_'Likely additional damage from my battle with the dragon earlier.'_

Both Colbert and Osmond stiffened when they saw Ben approach but a shaking of his head made them relax slightly.

"First of all Professor, don't play with a magical device when you don't understand how it works." I grabbed the wand from his hand, reflexes much faster than his, "And second, create a perimeter around this courtyard before the taint spreads further."

"That is what that purple material on the ground is?" Osmond asked suddenly.

"It is, and its incredibly hazardous. I have the means to stop its growth, but I need you to target the Wisps that are above us. Without my chest piece my armor is compromised, a single hit can seriously harm me or anyone else right now."

Both faculty members nodded grimly as they pointed their staves at the flying entites. He took his own wand and replaced the hazardous primal focus and placed a dark purple gem that gleamed in both day and night.

"Flame Snake!"

"Air Hammer!"

Ben took off in a heated sprint as miniature sonic booms and firestorms erupted above him. He saw a black-haired maid being dragged towards a taint tentacle screaming. Forgetting his Power Tool was damaged, he activated it's Rail Gun and fired once. A single pebble sized projectile flew into the base of the taint tentacle and blew it apart.

His Power Tool, already damaged past an irreparable state immediately ignited, forcing him to tear it off before it threw it aside. Now with a free hand, he scooped up the maid who immediately glomped him as she wept.

"Thank-you-thank-you-."

"Miss, I need you to ride on my back if you're going to stay with me. I need my hands free."

"Yes my lord!"

Ben was thankful his helmet was on as he rolled his eyes while the maid expertly scurried onto his back. Taking his wand, he pointed it at another taint tentacle and fired a blast of eldritch energy that vaporized it. With a single practiced motion he slammed one of the purifying Blooms into the earth. In the blink of an eye, the artificial plant had rooted itself and grew to nearly a meter in height. The taint surrounding it immediately began to burn away as he continued to plant more of the creations around the tainted nodes.

* * *

**Two Hours Later**

After carefully observing the tainted land finally be purified in its entirety. After his actions – which likely saved the Academy – Benjamin was in talks with Osmond, Colbert, and Louise in discussing the future. He had his belongings returned in full, including his Linkbook home.

"What do you mean that you can't reverse the binding?!"

Osmond answered quickly, "It means just that Mr. Alvarez. The binding is permanent, and only if one of you dies will the binding be broken."

Louise added, "It's not like you can return to your home Benjamin. You may as well live your life out as a familiar and be done with it." Both Colbert and Osmond looked at her with a gobsmacked expression while Ben's face went blood red with fury. "What? It's the truth-."

"I am not a slave to a brat!" The Earthborn threw his hands up in exasperation, "I'm returning home to think about all of this."

The door to the Headmaster's office barged open, "Wait my Lord!" The room's occupants stared in shock at the maid's sudden entry, and their eyes widened further as she prostrated herself before the group, "Please Headmaster! Lord Alvarez has saved my life, and I owe him a great debt!"

Osmond recovered first, "Miss Siesta, I sincerely hope you know what you are implying." A pause, "Doesn't your family rely on your earnings here to support them?"

Ben barged back in before he lost any more control of the situation, "Can someone please explain to me what's happening here?"

The maid, Siesta answered promptly, "Lord Alvarez, a nobleman who saves the life of a commoner is owed a great favor by that commoner. Typically, said commoner swears their life to serve that noble for the rest of their days."

His eyes narrowed, agitation showing, "Feudal rights?"

"Correct my Lord. As a common maid who owes you a favor, it is my responsibility to pay back such a favor. The fact you saved my life is the highest of favors and cannot be simply excused by you my Lord."

Ben turned to Osmond who nodded reluctantly, "It is a valid point Mr. Alvarez. Saving a person's life is a debt not easily forgiven, for all intents and purposes her life is yours to command."

"I don't like this Headmaster-." The sight of Siesta giving him the puppy eyes made him groan, "Fine! I'll bring you with me, but I insist on paying you."

The maid 'squee'd' and curtseyed, "My name is Siesta of Tarbes, if it pleases you Master."

Grumbling at the ridiculousness of the situation, Ben pulled out a solid block of gold. "This should be a good first month's wage I think."

A thud was the only answer as the maid fainted flat on her back, "What?"

* * *

**Dusk**

Siesta had said her goodbyes – many of which were tearful – before making her way to Vestry Court. Benjamin had collected his belongings and was ready to go long before, but decided to let Siesta say farewell to her coworkers. Osmond had given Ben her contract, which he had stowed on his person.

He had hoped when he entered the portal that he could've gone home to Earth and continued his life – this time surrounded by fellow human beings who could respect him. He had instead ended up on a world where the people were subjugated by magic-wielding aristocrats who were unable to see their failings.

Louise had come to him, tears in her eyes. She attempted to convince Ben to stay, but only proved to earn even further disappointment in his eyes. The sight of many students bullying the pinkette was saddening, but he knew she had to learn a lesson before he could return.

"Master Alvarez, I have finished everything here and wrote my family. Are you ready to go my Lord?"

He nodded, "We may be gone for some time Siesta. Are you certain you wish to do this?"

Master," she glanced from side to side, "Benjamin, I chose to serve you after what you did for me. The gold block you gave me for pay will keep my family fed for years, not to mention you considered my feelings and needs. I'll follow you wherever your path leads you."

He nodded once more, "Hold onto my arm Siesta, as tight as you can. Whatever you do, don't let go." Benjamin Alvarez opened the book and both maid and man were teleported to another realm.

* * *

**And therein lies the end of this chapter! Again, please give me all of your reviews and views. It makes me smile.**

**Farewell!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: We're back in the Overworld (and Halkeginia) after these review responses!**

**Hammer 'n' Nail: Amusing? I thought I was being serious lol.**

**Dagon Draconis: Your requests have been (mostly) granted!**

**PedroFaria: Yesh, this is a modded Minecraft, significantly so. Stay tuned for references and a potential list.**

**The Tell-Tale Man: I thank you for your input.**

**Dusk Rider: Not enough folks do that in stories so I felt like giving it a go. How it actually plays out remains to be seen.**

**Grim Kid: Hell sure is nice this time of year, that's for certain. =P It's a rarely taken path for a character to actively decide their fate in Halkeginia. Even my version of Kerrigan doesn't have that much freedom (as in being able to leave the world entirely).**

**Mr. Beaver Buttington: Classy name first of all. Yes, this is a seriously over-modded experience, because I honestly can't stand Vanilla Minecraft. Big FTB fan though, and there will be references to several mods (there have been a few already) in the coming episodes.**

**Guest: I have a suspicion this is Golden Steel's counter to my previous response to him/her. The fact is, you don't have to care in the slightest about anything, or anyone for that matter. I decided to go a little over the top for this story and I got called out on it. That's all well and good (your points are _fantastic_, make no mistake) but after writing balanced stories I feel like a curb-stomping is due.**

**While I respect one's right/ability to speak their mind I cannot condone or accept everything that you've said here. I believe you deserved a chance to give a rebuttal and you've done so. Let's move on before the trolls move in, yes?**

**As this is a newer story I must reiterate my policies on flaming and trolling reviews: Don't do them. Free speech/honest critique is perfectly cool (and appreciated), but if you just came to say 'your story sux bro,' you're gonna have a bad time.**

**Now then… begin!**

* * *

**The Overworld**

In a flash of light and particles, both Ben and Siesta appeared inside the base's portal room. This separated section of the base was built to both contain the various means for dimensional transport, and to prevent living beings from other dimensions easy access to the Overworld. The warded stone that surrounded the room was nearly three meters thick, while the room's interior was built from reinforced concrete. If the Earthborn had learned anything, it was that there was no such thing as overkill.

Without delay, Ben reactivated the base remotely. While he was relieved to be 'home,' Siesta was freaking out.

"W-what is this place?" She looked down and saw her previously curvy form reduced to square polygons, an ingot sized mass representing her bust, "What happened to me?!"

"That is the Overworld's magic at work Miss Siesta. Everything in this world is made of perfect squares. Our bodies are formed into them as are the tools and terrain found here. I feel we should begin our tour here in the Portal Room."

Instantly attentive, the 'maid-like' behavior took hold as Siesta calmed down quickly, "Portals?"

"Indeed, this room's sole purpose is to house the various means of travel across dimensions." A look of confusion made him elaborate, "The Myst system, named after the famous book series from my homeland involves the creation of alternate realms for either exploration, resource collection, or any number of other uses. I have a dimension that is covered in an ocean of oil, and another made from molten rock.

"The structure of obsidian you see behind that carved glass is a portal to a realm of hellfire and brimstone. It's incredibly hazardous to traverse, but I have set up outposts for specialized research and development."

She visibly tensed, "Is it . . . is it Hell master?"

A shake of Ben's head made her relax, "No, certainly not. No demons whatsoever there-." A hissing sound emerged from behind the glass as a Zombie Pigman emerged from the portal. Its groaning moan made the maid jump behind Ben with a shriek, "No need to worry Siesta, Zombie Pigmen are completely harmless, provided you don't attack one." A look from Siesta had him finish, "If you do attack one or hit it in any way, run like hell. If you hit one, every single one in running distance will chase after you.

"Other creatures exist there, such as the fire throwing Blazes, the explosive launching Ghasts, biting Hellbats, Heatscar Spiders, Imps and Magma Cubes. You won't encounter the first three that much, but the spiders are high in number. You won't be going there if I have any say in the matter though."

He moved to a fenced area with another purple glowing portal surrounded by flowers, "This leads to the Twilight Forest, a magical land filled with ancient ruins and exotic creatures. One thing to be aware of is that due to the land being shrouded in twilight, you can find many monsters roaming the surface. I have a small home there for when I travel through that realm."

Another room surrounded by carved glass was next, a single black block with a white swirl on the ground, "This is a portal to a land of eternal darkness; it is actually far more dangerous to explore this realm than the Nether as the very shadows themselves can physically harm you. This is compensated by the massive veins of resources that can be found there. You also won't be traveling here if I can help it.

"The set of books by that grey block in the back of the room are just like the book that brought us here, and represent the various dimensions I keep around for easy access. I have spares locked up elsewhere just in case. Now that we've finished here, we can head into the main complex itself."

Siesta looked around, "Master, how can we get out of here? I don't see a door."

He smiled, "Observe." Ben walked up to the grey square in the floor and looked up before vanishing. Less than a second later, he returned to the portal room. "We use these devices called Elevators to move up and down the numerous floors here. Just step on the platform, and bend your knees to go down, or stand on your tip toes to go up. I'll be waiting for you upstairs."

In a flash he vanished, making the maid approach the construct cautiously. "Okay, so go onto my tip toes if I want to go up, and bend my knees to go down." She stood on the platform, raised her heels and gasped as she found herself in an entirely new room. She ended up in a small, clearly reinforced room with solid metal doors which opened into a massive hall. She saw multiple stories above her, only separated by a thick, slightly distorted glass.

"Master, if I may ask, just how large is this place?"

"We have around ten square kilometers of usuable space right now Siesta, roughly four times the size of the flat footprint of the Academy. We're actually underneath a mountain range believe it or not, the complex itself reaches all the way to one of the summits."

A shocked look went across her features, "I need to clean all of this space Master Alvarez?"

"Heavens no Siesta! The facility takes care of this by itself, I would like your help in managing the animals and crops we have here and outside though."

She nodded thoughtfully, "I am skilled in handling farm animals Master, as well as harvesting crops. My family lives on a farm in my hometown."

Ben nodded appreciatively, "That's very good to hear actually, but let's continue the tour before we discuss workflow any further." His arms spread wide, "This is the main hall, the primary passageway throughout the base here. I have signs put up that point towards different areas, but I'm not sure if we can read the same languages."

Siesta walked up to the sign beside the elevator and shook her head, "You are correct master, I am unable to read your language, though I can read and write my own."

"We could probably add a sign underneath in your own language in the interim, or I could teach you mine. Anyhow, this area as stated previously is the main hall. The main hall is eight stories tall in itself, but multiple side passages between areas exist, as well as service corridors in every area for managing cables and plumbing. Before we go any further, let's place your belongings in the network."

After instructing Siesta on how to use the terminal, her small chest of personal items vanished into digital data. A stunned young woman looked at Ben, who simply nodded as he moved away from the terminal.

He began to walk down the northern corridor as he continued, "This passageway will take us to the interior farms I have set up. The farming sites, each with its own humidity and temperature control is custom tailored to whatever is growing inside at the time. Each farm is maintained automatically and independently of the others, either by farming machines or by golems. We have over eighty different crops here, with a wide array of vegetables and fruits for consumption. We also grow trees inside as well, most of which are grown for use as charcoal or for magical disassembly.

"Below these farms are animal pens, one for each major type of animal present. Cows, sheep, pigs for example are below us. Even a stable for horses is maintained on the surface."

Siesta raised her hand, "What does the surface look like Master?"

"Our current location is a rather interesting one. My actual home is built at the base of a valley, surrounded by very different terrain. The open end of the valley leads out to the ocean, while we are surrounded on two sides by a scorching hot, volcanic crag plateau, while the mountains we are currently under occupy the one remaining side. This makes the weather exceedingly unpredictable and hazardous, flash floods, blizzards and even small hurricanes can form in hours. I have some crops on the surface, although they are frequently damaged by the weather.

"I actually live up there so I can get some sunlight, it's supposed to be good for you." He paused, "Now that I think of it, I don't have guest quarters in my home. Come along Siesta! Time to design your own room!"

* * *

**Three Hours Later**

Meanwhile in Tristain, the clean-up from the day's magical accident was complete. The Ethereal Blooms, were left where Ben had placed them, in order to ensure the taint was gone.

The Royal Messenger had arrived less than an hour after Ben's exit from Halkeginia and he was most displeased.

"What do you mean she's gone Osmond? You know I want her on my staff."

Osmond winced but rebutted with a stab of his own, "I understand that the Crown has great needs for young, fertile maids for its noblemen, but she declared a life debt to a man who saved her." As Mott's face reddened in fury, Osmond continued his assault, "We both know that Tristain has a law allowing this to occur, and requires the Queen's direct approval to annul-."

"I know the law Osmond!" He spat angrily, "Who took her?"

Bound by the rules of his station, the Headmaster responded, "A man named Benjamin Alvarez, he was a mage summoned during the Familiar Summoning Ritual. While not a landowning noble, he had the law on his side and enough power to ensure he would go unopposed."

"An upstart commoner then? I lost to some poor excuse of a man who has no right to call himself a noble." Mott paused before a sickening smile grew across his face, "So, what was this maid's name Osmond?"

* * *

In the end, Ben had come up with his own design for Siesta's room. The teenaged maid was ecstatic on the idea of having her own bedroom, being one of eight children meant she had little privacy for herself. The floor was made from a neutral gray rockwool, a material that is both fireproof, and able to be dyed with different colors. The house as a whole was made from solid, fired clay bricks, with a dark mahogany roof, artificial lighting, along with a dedicated bathroom for both bedrooms.

Siesta, who had come to the surface with Ben froze as a shiver went down her spine, the same feeling she experienced when her grandmother had been killed by a robber.

The Earthborn saw the pale face and frozen features and instantly became alert. "Siesta, what's wrong?"

"Master, it's nothing you should worry about-."

He got in the maid's face, "I know better than that young lady."

"I-I think my family is in danger." She prostrated herself in front of him, "Please master! Save them!"

A dark expression came across Ben's face as he picked her up bridal style as he sprinted inside the base, "We need to be ready then. Are you absolutely certain Siesta?"

"The last time I felt this, my grandmother had been murdered by a robber."

He nodded, "Very well, do you know who might have a reason to go after your family in particular?"

She thought for several seconds as Ben carried her into the base's forge. "Count Mott, he requested my services by name the last time he was at the Academy."

"Based on your tone, I'd say he's not a very pleasant man."

"Mott is a lecher of the highest order master. He regularly picks up maids from the Academy, and no one ever hears from them again."

"How in the hell does he get away with it?"

"His position in the Royal Court allows him to use his power to take women and young girls for his own household. Rumors say that they don't get to communicate with their families, nor do they ever see them again."

Benjamin's brain went into drive as the facts came together, "I have a feeling that there's more to Mott than meets the eye. If he _is _a serial rapist," both he and Siesta shuddered at that, "Someone would've said something." He set her onto the ground, "Let's get you equipped Siesta, if you are a member of my household while living in this realm you need to dress the part."

Her eyes widened, "I'm coming with you?"

He shook his head, "No, you will remain here in the valley, but I'm going to ensure you are able to defend yourself while I'm gone. Do you have any experience with weapons?"

"Uh, I'm passable with a bow, and Marteau said that I'm dangerous with a skillet."

That last bit made Ben snort, "I think I can help you with both of those. It so happens that I have a casting mold of a frying pan around here somewhere."

* * *

Professor Colbert had quickly made his way to the Headmaster's office after discovering information regarding the runes on Benjamin's hand. A knock on Osmond's door was following by a greeting as Colbert rushed inside.

He saw Miss Loungeville working on a report, "Headmaster, we need to speak privately."

* * *

Benjamin pulled a lever and carefully observed the flowing molten metal as it filled a skillet shaped mould. Haderoth, an alloy not naturally found in nature was a combination of silver and mithril that was perfect for making tools, weapons or other assorted items such as buckets. The metal's naturally high melting point, modest heat conductivity, and extremely dense – yet light – molecular build made it the perfect material to make a bludgeon/skillet with.

The bow was made from an organic blue substance made from the many blue slimes that could be found in marshes and bogs. A blue bowstring, made from a cache of mysterious crystals that Ben had found a few months earlier gave the bowstring the all durability and strength Siesta could theoretically apply to the weapon.

Said maid was still taking in all of the sights around her however. The heat of the Forge was intense, and even several meters away Siesta was already sweating profusely. She had ditched her headwear and outer apron in order to remain cool.

Ben saw her rapidly sweating face and pointed towards the back of the room, "Siesta, if you want to stay cool, go sit over on the stone bench back near the entrance."

Said bench was bolted in with metal rods which descended into a tank of cryogenic fluid, normally used in the fusion reactor, In the bottom of the base. Convection allowed the extreme cold of the fluid to travel through the rods and into the stone itself.

The effect was much like sitting on a piece of ice with one's bare skin. The sudden screech of surprise had Ben chuckling lightly as his maid slowly began to try and sit back down again.

* * *

Louise was curled up in her bed, eyes blood red from hours of crying.

_'Such a disgraceful dog, leaving his master and taking that b-busty maid!'_

A knock on her door interrupted any further thoughts, "Miss Valliere, its Headmaster Osmond, can I come in?"

She sniffed before responding, "C-come in."

The greying mage walked inside, pausing in shock seeing the packed luggage, "Miss Valliere, do you think you are in trouble?" A nervous nod answered causing Osmond to sigh, "Miss Valliere . . . Louise, you are not in trouble in the slightest. If Mr. Alvarez had not intervened when the catastrophe occurred many members of the aristocracy and the staff could've been killed."

Louise became fixated on Osmond he continued, "Mr. Alvarez discussed with Professor Colbert and I about what actually occurred this afternoon. It was an accidental miscast of your familiar's wand that caused the incident. The magical blasts that the wand sent out small outbreaks of a dark magic known as the 'Taint.' Mr. Colbert had no way of knowing that the wand foci he placed on the wand would have been so destructive.

"Miss Valliere, the faculty members, Colbert and I specifically are to blame for what happened today. Your familiar saved lives today, and you are not being expelled or otherwise removed from the Academy."

"My familiar left me-."

"Miss Valliere, in hindsight we should have let you resummons and attempt to get another familiar. Letting you bind Mr. Alvarez was a bad call on the faculty's part, and one we cannot hold against you. Although he may have left, we believe he will return on his own sometime soon."

"Why would he come back Headmaster?"

"The research information that Professor Colbert came up with regarding his runes revealed something disturbing. The runes that have been branded onto his left hand are indecipherable by us, the runic script held within pre-dates the Church, and we don't readily have access to a translation. What we do know about this script is that it brainwashes the familiar into following the master's orders, effectively enslaving them."

Louise's lips became a taunt line, "How is that different from the Founder's ritual? It does the same thing, does it not?"

A shaking head answered her, "Not like this Miss Valliere. The rune itself is self-aware and is capable of actively, and intelligently modifying the behavior of the familiar. The Founder's Ritual was incapable of that and its effects are far more benign, as a familiar can easily readjust to life as a wild being after their master's death.

"It is considered to be equivalent to dark magic when compared to the Founder's Ritual as this process was designed to bind human beings exclusively." A paling Louise forced Osmond to elaborate, "The ritual was done properly on our end, and your incantation was perfect. Colbert saw no indication of any forbidden magic being used by you, which means the rune's origins must lie with Mr. Alvarez."

Louise, as the daughter of a Duke and Duchess knew there was writing between the lines, "Why are you telling me this Headmaster?"

"I have reason to believe Count Mott may be targeting the family of Mr. Alvarez's maid, Siesta. As she is a member of his household and is a foreigner-."

"-A member of the Royal Court actively attacking a foreigner's family member would be an tantamount to an act of war in any other situation. As the familiar is also connected with the Valliere household, an attack against him would be an attack on the Ducal House of Valliere." Her eyes – much like those of her legendary mother – focused on Osmond, "What do we do?"

* * *

**A/N: I will be ending the chapter here as I'd like to get this out before I work on my papers for class.**

**Only problem in taking history courses exclusively is that you get smacked the hell down with writing assignments.**

**Also a few announcements, I will be posting a re-written chapter of the first season of Hail to the Zero Queen this week (probably chapter 2), and likely finishing up a chapter of Assault on Albion. As I stated in the beginning of the chapter, my courses are pumping out essay assignments and projects, so don't expect an update for a week or so at least. I want to ensure my grades remain high enough to get me entrance into my transfer school.**

**Take care!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hail! Greetings to my return readers, consistent reviewers, and new guests. I welcome you to the 4****th**** chapter of Absolute Zero, which shall follow the traditional review answer segment. Don't worry new people, you'll be getting used to it soon enough.**

**The Tell-Tale Man: Fear not good reader! More chapters shall come… when they're finished. Sadly, RL is something that continues to interfere with my writing.**

**PedroFaria: I'm not sure it would be true war, I mean Ben might burn down a few estates and sink a couple of warships, but never without justification. Something to remember about him is that he is highly intelligent and educated, so he understands the futility of war, but not necessarily the costs.**

**The Indecisive Bob: Yes indeed, most of those features listed (and many aspects of the base) are in fact from several mods, although no one has commented on just what those mods might be yet.**

**GrimKid: The shit/struggle is real!**

**Mr. So-and-So: Its an amalgam of several, actually. All of the mainstream modpacks are included, along with their individual mods (IC2, BuildCraft, Applied Energistics, Railcraft to a lesser degree, etc.). Magic mods, while fewer in number are still quite influential, such as Magic Crops (I think that's what its called), Thaumcraft 4.x, Botania, and possibly Blood Magic, although I know VERY little about the first one and last two. At the core however, most mods found in FTB modpacks can be found here. I haven't decided which, if any should be excluded as of yet however. NOTE: I can confirm that MineChem, Tinker's Construct and Metallurgy 4 are also present.**

**SneakyDevil: In order, all of the above or correct, although the dark portal is a reference to the Deep Dark, not the Bedrock Dimension (Thaumic Tinkerer is included, but that dimension will remain unused most likely). RC and IC2 are here, as is Metallurgy 4. After playing Material Energy^4 I fell in love with the mod. Second, I thank you for your approval and continued readership. Third, believe me, I wince hard when I read my early stuff. Which is why I'm re-writing, both to add more content and quality and to make it so I don't facepalm when I read my own stuff. Beginner writing sucks IMO =P **

**Also, SCIENCE! *Lightning bolt strikes***

***In Unreal Tournament announcer voice: "PLAY."***

* * *

**The Overworld**

**Late Evening**

Ben had long since finished the construction of personal armor and weapons for Siesta and had just completed fitting her. In addition to the alloy-laden frying pan and slime covered bow, a set of eighty Alumite arrows were assembled and placed in an aluminum quiver, along with a set of pre-fitted leather armor, enchanted using a Thaumaturgist's Enchantment Table to the highest possible degree.

Alumite, a specialized alloy created by smelting aluminum, obsidian, and raw iron that was both strong, and light offered the best overall projectiles for someone with Siesta's strength. There were other alloys, such as Manyullyn or Tartarite, but both were excessively heavy and time consuming to create.

The specialized, magic-fueled Enchantment Table was something that Ben spared no expense in using, especially with the (relative) weakness of leather. Using the Primal Aspects that filled his wand, he intelligently selected enchantments for each part of the armor set. At the end of it, Siesta's leather armor was virtually immune to projectiles, fire and explosions, all while making her move faster and jump higher.

Siesta was extremely unused to wearing protective gear, and even with Ben's eye for detail it remained unwieldy and not well-fitting.

"Mr. Alvarez, do I really need to wear this?"

He nodded, "There are a lot of dangerous creatures in this land Siesta. I would prefer you wear plate armor, but not only is it too heavy it will take far too long to make. You need to think of that armor has your second skin, so I expect you to begin sleeping in it until it fits properly."

She frowned as she adjusted the still empty sheath on her waist, "Mr. Alvarez-," a pair of narrowed eyes made her rephrase, "Benjamin, I'm not sure this is necessary."

Ben sighed, "Alright, would you like to test your mettle then? Against some of the denizens of the night?" Siesta paled at that as he continued, "I figure this is the best time. I don't know when I'll be back, and they do get into the base on occasion." Fear filled her as she avoided eye contact, "I can protect you while you face them, one at a time, if you'd like."

"I would like that _Master_," she answered, in an equally terrified and enraptured voice.

The sudden change of tone caught the Earthborn off-guard. 'Is she excited or terrified about this?'

* * *

After a few minutes of thought, Ben brought Siesta down to the training range – a now mostly unused underground stone room – deep within the base's lower levels. A set of old, run-down mannequins were set at different distances in an extended dead-end hallway, while a training circle stood in the center. In his knapsack were several Safari Balls, each one holding a different creature.

"This is what's going to happen Siesta. You will stand at one end of the circle, and I will toss one of these balls at the other. There are three creatures that you will fight, one on one. The Zombie, which is a slow moving close combat fighter, the Skeleton, an undead archer, and a Spider." He took a breath, "Remember Siesta, these creatures will actively attack you on sight, so you need to stop them as soon as possible, okay?"

Siesta nervously nodded, "What if I can't stop them Master?"

"I will prevent them from harming you, but you yourself must be able to attack them. Ready?" A nod, "Begin!"

With a single toss, the ball containing the Zombie landed; in an instant, a green, rotting corpse began to shamble towards Siesta. Its groaning caused the maid's hair stand on end before she started to swing her skillet. The first blow cracked the undead across its left temple, instantly knocking it back to the floor. The loud, sudden impact jarred Siesta as her hands began to shake. The Zombie dissolved into dust in a matter of moments, leaving a few pieces of meat and a random iron ingot on the ground.

"Well done Siesta. Zombies are the most common enemy you'll encounter out here, but they are inherently dumb. They will actually walk towards you, regardless of what hazards are between the two of you. Now then, I want you to take cover behind that shield at the edge and draw your bow. It's time for Skeleton training."

* * *

After an hour of both screaming and cheers of joy, Siesta completed her first battles in the arena. In the end, she left with nearly no injuries, only a minor bruise from an arrow – stopped by her leather chest piece – on her collar bone the only sign of her battle. The bow, a mid-sized weapon a little under a meter and a half in length was capable of launching the moderately weighted Alumite arrows at nearly 150 meters per second. While slow compared to an Earth rifle cartridge, the arrow's dense, sharpened head and incendiary coating was capable of blasting targets off their feet.

The frying pan – while a weak weapon compared to a broadsword – was a terrifying weapon in the hands of a skilled maid. Already capable of knocking a man to the ground and stunning a full grown direwolf, the upgrades that the cooking implement had installed knocked back adversaries, lit them on fire, and stole their life energy – all at the same time. The fact it was made out of a high grade alloy only made it more terrifying to be faced with it.

"I'll be okay Master, but please go save my family from that horrible man!"

Ben nodded, "With pleasure."

Siesta watched as he walked onto the elevator leading to the portal room, and vanished. She looked around and smiled as curiosity filled her, "Let's see what will need to be taken care of."

* * *

**Halkeginia – Tristain Academy of Magic**

**Late Evening**

Ben cracked his neck as he appeared on the rooftops of the Academy. Looking about, he saw no sign of the taint, or any other wisps in the area.

'_It seems they cleaned house while I was gone. I best go visit the Headmaster first to tell him of my concerns.'_

Activating his jet boots, the low powered thrusters letting him land in Vestry Square silently. Quickly shutting them down, he casually made his way towards the center tower. A pair of guards in front of the entrance tensed up while pointing their halberds directly at his throat.

"I, Mr. Benjamin Alvarez seek a meeting with Headmaster Osmond in regards to the maid Siesta of Tarbes. Its believed her family is in danger, and I have come to prevent any harm from coming to them."

The two guards look at one another as the one on the left nodded, "I will go inform the Headmaster, please stay her Sir Alvarez."

After a few minutes, the guard/messenger walked back down to the tower's entrance, the green-haired secretary in tow.

"The Headmaster will see you now Mr. Alvarez."

* * *

Osmond was surprised to see Ben so soon,_ 'Have the runes taken effect already?' _"Mr. Alvarez, what can I do for you?"

The Earthborn sat down without invitation, "I'll get right to the point Headmaster, Siesta believes her family is in danger. She informed me that a 'Count Mott' had interest in purchasing her contract for his own 'personal' satisfaction. I've also been made aware of the fact that these maids vanish without a trace, leaving me with the very real possibility Siesta's family will be killed in retaliation."

The Headmaster frowned, he had heard rumors of Mott's 'extra-cirruclar activites' with the servants he purchased from the Academy; however, even as well-informed as he was, he had never heard of their disappearance.

"The fact is this Headmaster, Siesta has asked me – no, begged me – to protect her family from Mott, and I intend to do so. Has Count Mott approached you regarding Siesta's whereabouts or family members?"

Osmond could only nod, earning a groan from Ben, "I was really hoping to nip this in the bud before something went wrong."

"He was here earlier today, so I believe you still have some time Mr. Alvarez. Perhaps you would like to remain here tonight as a guest?"

Ben shook his head, "I must set out for Tarbes in order to evacuate her family ahead of time. As Count Mott is a member of the Royal Court – according to Siesta – I don't believe I can confront him directly without considerable risk or legal penalty-."

He was cut off as Louise barged through the door in her nightgown, "Familiar!"

A roll of the eyes was all she received from Ben as he groaned, "Miss Valliere. I am here discussing matters of considerable importance that you aren't involved in-."

"If it involves you or anyone serving under you, it does involve me! An attack against a noble's familiar is equivalent to an attack on said noble's entire family. What Mott is doing could start a blood feud between the Mott and the Valliere noble houses!"

Ben's eyes hardened, "Is this true Headmaster? Does Mott even know about my status as a familiar?"

Osmond shook his head, "I didn't tell him, although the documents he was carrying did pertain to you – as well as the other familiars." A blank look from Ben made him elaborate, "Its procedure for the Academy to send word of the familiars summoned by each mage to the Palace. As Royal Messenger, Mott is the one who carries such documents."

"Would he examine those documents or attempt to alter them?"

The old man's incredulous look answered the question, "If he did, that's a serious crime Mr. Alvarez. Altering official documents, forgery of public records, even potentially dishonoring another noble house and starting a feud are all potential charges or problems. Messengers aren't even authorized to break the seal on official messages and documents, let alone read them."

"Let's say he doesn't examine the records and just hands them over to whomever at the Palace. Would there be notice of my status as both a mage and as the master of Siesta within?"

Osmond's own eyes narrowed, "What are you getting at Mr. Alvarez?"

"What I'm thinking is this: we get to the Royal Palace and reach the Crown first. We inform his direct superior of the situation, and ask him or her to simply hold onto it. If Mott makes a move, he's told that he can't do, as that would be a serious provocation towards a foreign house. If he's smart, he'll drop it, but my gut is telling me he will continue to act."

Louise spoke up this time, "What are you trying to accomplish with this familiar?"

Ben's scowl put a sheepish look onto the pinkette's face before turning back to Osmond, "Headmaster, is this room secure from eavesdroppers?"

The aging man pulled a wand before uttering a nine word incantation, causing a small glowing outline to surround the walls, floor, and ceiling. "It is now Mr. Alvarez, please continue."

"Thank you, I believe that Mott is hiding something dark from the rest of the nobility, based on the time these maids are present within his estate. In my travels within my world, I discovered a blood magic ritual that involved using the bodies and blood of a young woman and her unborn child to boost an individual's vitality, magical strength, and other attributes."

Louise turned an unhealthy shade of green as she gagged, while Osmond's face and turned into one of horror. "In all likelihood, Mott receives advanced warning of potential guests or a royal inspection from a contact or spy, allowing him to cover up his activities. I believe if Knights loyal to the crown – and not to Mott – were to perform a quick, unexpected raid on his estate you would find evidence of his actions."

Osmond asked the logical question, "How would you be able to tell Mr. Alvarez?"

"Because I've seen one of the blood altars used in such a ritual Headmaster. I found it beneath a witch's hut in a jungle bog not terribly far from my base of operations. Many of said witch's notes were not only intact, but readable as well. This ritual was one that was on a very well-read page," he paled slightly as he closed his eyes, "The remains and blood in the altar's chamber were enough proof for me."

The Headmaster adopted a formal tone, "Very well then, as a noble of Tristain and as a follower of our Founder Brimir, I hereby place Louise on authorized academic leave. Lady Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere, the nature of everything spoken in this office is to be considered a state secret and is to be protected at all costs. Do not reveal anything except to Her Majesty and Her Highness, the Queen and Crown Princess of Tristain. Do you understand your duties and responsibilities?"

Louise performed a deep curtsey, normally done in front of royalty, "On my honor as a noblewoman and follower of Brimir, I swear secrecy towards all matters spoken here tonight and swear to only reveal them to the chosen Queen and Crown Princess of Tristain."

Ben nodded as well, "This must be kept secret in the interests of justice."

"Very good." Osmond turned to Ben, eyes completely focused, "Mr. Alvarez, you alone will not be able to get an audience with the Queen; you'll need Louise to get you inside."

Before he had a chance to ask his question, Louise answered it, "I was the Royal Playmate when I was younger, hopefully Her Highness still thinks highly of me."

"The only problem is that Mott has a several hour lead on you, he left long before dusk and traversing the roads at night is dangerous."

A moment passed before Ben smirked, "Whoever said we would be on the roads? Louise, if you wish to see my homeland, I wouldn't mind having you accompany me. What we need is back there, and _please_ stop calling me familiar."

Louise looked like she didn't believe a word, "How exactly do you plan to get us to Tristainia in such a short time?"

A smile emerged, "Tell me Louise, have you ever heard of a magic carpet?"

* * *

**The Overworld**

**Twenty Minutes Later**

Siesta, still wearing her armor made her rounds across the installation's interior, attempting to memorize its layout for future use.

'_I still can't imagine just how big this place is. These strange machines and wires are _everywhere_, I think Mr. Alvarez needs to do some redecorating-.'_

The familiar *Whoosh* of an elevator being used pulled her out of her mind. Drawing her 'skillet' she quietly hid in a side hallway as a familiar (and annoying) voice spoke up.

"What in Halkeginia is this place?!"

"Ah, Master Alvarez! It's good to see you've returned." Her smile shrunk, "I-is there any news on my family?"

A shaking head made her spirits fall, "We believe that Mott will likely go after your family, but neither the Headmaster nor I know for certain. I'm going to the Thaumaturgy Lab to grab a certain item to give us an edge, and I allowed Louise to accompany me."

The pinkette, still mystified by the square shape of everything turned her head to Ben, "Did you say something familiar?" The sound from a rap of a set of armored knuckles smacking Louise's head made her scowl, "That hurt-!"

"And I believe I told you to stop calling me familiar Miss Valliere." She was about to retort before stopping herself and pouting. "Anyways, we're heading to the Lab to get the Magic Carpet I have on hand."

* * *

Three minutes later, the armored maid, Earthborn and noblewoman walked into a well-decorated, three-story room with multiple magical constructs scattered in small side rooms. The walls (three body lengths high) and ceilings were made from jet black bricks – made from rock formations at the bottom the sea – and blood red bricks – made using a meat-based dye and clay – built in a checkerboard pattern.

The first level, the floor below them currently held dozens of large, perfectly transparent jars with multiple colored fluids. A set of three Alchemical Furnaces were hooked up to a set of two essentia drains each. Pressurized tubes and filtered pipe valves ensured that the essentia (in essence, the building blocks of magic) was quickly pumped into their respective jars. As both the tubes and jars took up a - relatively - small space, the room was not much taller than Ben was.

The main floor acted as a lobby, storage center, and home to both basic magical crafting, and the far more advanced (and deadly) Fusion Crafting. The altar of the latter taking up nearly the entirety of the floor space within. Between the two floors was a sub-floor that held a highly symmetrical altar of skulls, candles, and crystal formations as a means of controlling the deadly instability from Fusion Crafting.

The third floor was a relatively barren room, its sole purpose being the recharging station for wands and staves. A single pedestal in the center served as the wand recharge station, surrounded by four extremely dense aura nodes. Originally, the room had been host to nearly two dozen of the magical sources, but with time they had fused together.

Louise, the only formally trained mage could feel the power emanating from various objects throughout the room, most notably from a hallway, leading to a large, three meter square with fire inside.

'_Are those eyes looking at me?!'_

Siesta felt the hair on her neck stand on end as she saw a pair of purple, metal-plated golems approach them from the back of the room.

Ben placed a finger on each one of their heads as he played a soothing magical bell, which turned the golems around and sent them back to their posts. The girls followed him as he popped open an iron-plated chest (which seemed absolutely oversized, considering its small footprint) and pulled out a beautifully designed rug more at home in a palace than in storage.

He frowned as he felt how frail the once gorgeous rug was to the touch, "It seems to have discharged its magical energy over time, I'll need to recharge the blasted thing." Turning to the digital storage system panel on the wall, she input a nine digit passcode and pulled out a worn, ancient book from cyberspace. Scrolling through the pages, he scowled as he saw that there was no way to recharge the thing.

"Okay, good news and bad news. Good news is I can get us a magic carpet, bad news is that I have to completely remake it."

Siesta seemed nervous at Ben's words, "Master, do you think you can complete this in time to safe my family?"

Ben glanced at the artifact's page within the Thaumonomican, "I believe so, I should have all the materials required on hand. Its just a matter of putting it all together." Another glance at the magical guide book was followed by a scrolling through the terminal as more objects materialized. "Best stand back girls, time to get to work."

Both maid and noblewoman stood back as Ben placed the various objects on the pedestals surrounding the center piece, a floating cube above it. Two diamonds, a block of gold, a block of redstone, and a pair of air crystal clusters and two pieces of Ichor Cloth began to fuse into a single object. Both outsiders gawked as stands of various different colored fluids floated through the air and entered the runic matrix. This was followed by the suction of the items into the center and with a burst of light, a glowing carpet was born.

He smirked and turned to Louise, "Hope you enjoy flying."

* * *

**A/N: Alright, this is mostly fluff and filler, a few people have mentioned its going a little too fast, and I'm inclined to agree. I'd say we have at least one or two more chapters until the Mott Arc is finished, although don't quote me on that. I don't actually write chapters in advance or even plan (do you even plan bro?), but instead come up with it as I go.**

**Also, don't actually think a Magic Carpet is present in Thaumcraft, kinda felt like being Aladdin this time around.**

**I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates recently. With mid-terms and essays being so dense right now I haven't had the time to get these chapters out as nuch as I'd like to. The HttZQ chapter is also almost ready, it just needs a conclusion at this point. Add laziness, work load, and additional laziness and you have my current predicament.**

**(That and holding off my family's constant badgering about finding a wife *Shudders*.)**

**Later everyone!**


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